“Go ahead,” he said. “I'm listening.”
A small ache made itself known in the vicinity of her heart. “So, this is what I think.” She licked her lips. “Rex played on Elgin's desire to hook up with BJ, even though he would have interfered every way possible had his mother been interested. Anyway, over time, he convinced Elgin that Rufina and BJ were in a lesbian relationship. On the night of the shooting, he plied Elgin with drinks and convinced him to take a shot at Rufina when she was in BJ's bed. Of course, it was Katy Jo, not Rufina.”
“He could have killed his mother.” Jared set a cup in front of her and pulled up a bar stool.
“I know. I'm guessing, remember? Anyway, Rex provided the gun as well as the alcohol and you see what happened. With the amount they'd had to drink, it had to be a lucky, or unlucky, shot.”
He tugged her bar stool closer to his. “That's nuts.”
“Yes, but that's not what was really going on. I mean, that was part of it, but there was more to it. Here is where it gets complicated.” She explained to him what Kathy Lynn had told her while the jury was out. “So there were several other possibilities going on as well.”
“Like?”
“Like Rex somehow knew Katy Jo had gone in to talk to their mother about her relationship with Doug. In his intoxicated state, he thought she was going to tell BJ everything—about the fire and all. Katy Jo and BJ were really close. Or, he could have seen Katy Jo and thought she was Kathy Lynn going in to tell their mother everything that had gone on since they were kids. Or, Rex could have put Elgin in his truck and sent him home and took the gun and fired the shot himself.”
“But you like the first theory?”
“That he set Elgin up to think he was shooting Rufina? Yes. For one thing, why do it yourself when someone else can do your dirty work? So, when it turned out to be Katy Jo, he did some quick reassessing and decided it'd be prime time to frame Rufina for the murder.”
“My head is about to burst,” Jared said. “TMI.”
“Or too much alcohol this evening.” She sipped her coffee. “Whatever happened, I'm glad the trial is over and Rufina's free.”
Jared smiled at her over his cup. “Me, too. And I have news for you. BJ told me about Efrain. I found him outside the courthouse. He told me his story. I'm going to find him an immigration lawyer, so he can get a green card.”
“That'll be hard to do in this climate.”
He flashed his eyes, his smile bordering on wicked. “I represent a lot of businesspeople in this area—government officials and people who want homes in the Hill Country and—”
“Okay, I believe you.” She slid down from the bar stool. “Between you and BJ, I believe y'all can pull some strings, and I hope you do. Efrain was prepared to jeopardize his future to protect Rufina. He deserves a chance to live in this country.”
Jared took her arm. “So you have to leave?”
“I do.”
“But you'll come up sometimes?”
“Yes, and you'll come down this summer and visit me, and we can do all kinds of beachy things. I'll take you to hear some wonderful musicians late at night in downtown Galveston—”
He stopped her with a kiss. She was going to miss moments like these. They hadn't had as many as she would have liked. She placed the hand that was coffee-free on the back of his neck and pressed his head to her. When they separated, they stood nose-to-nose, eye-to-eye, and her insides melted. Finally, she stepped back.
“I'm going to get my things and go.”
“Am I invited to breakfast at the ranch this morning?”
“No. It'll be hectic out there. Let's say our goodbyes now.” She started toward the bedroom for her shoes and jacket.
He followed her. “All right, but I'm not saying goodbye. Just so long for now.” He grabbed her from behind and twirled her around and planted another kiss on her mouth.
Chapter Forty
When Sandra arose later that morning, after only a few hours' sleep, she dressed in jeans with a shirt and sneakers. She wanted to take a run, but it was past time to depart. They were already behind schedule. She tossed the rest of her clothes in a bag and went into the kitchen for coffee and breakfast.
Sitting at the bar in the kitchen were Erma, Mel, Kathy Lynn, and Douglas Christian. BJ and Rufina stood near the stove. All of them were fully dressed in various styles of casual clothing and engaged in an animated discussion.
“There's our sleeping beauty,” Erma said. “Our princess. No, our heroine.”
“Woo hoo!” they yelled.
“Don't give yourself short shrift, Erma.” If she'd ever seen a happier collection of faces, Sandra couldn't remember when.
“Hungry, Sandra?” Rufina picked up a plate and stepped over to the stove.
“Starving. I need some coffee first, though.” She poured herself a cup and scanned the faces around her. Something was different. Douglas Christian's bar stool stood awfully close to Kathy Lynn's. Was something developing between them?
Everyone laughed. Sandra wanted in on the joke.
“The sheriff called this morning,” Erma said. “Ed and Holt went out after the trial and brought in Elgin Burgess for questioning.”
Sandra took her coffee to the bar and bumped Mel's hip with her own. “You're young. You can stand.”
Mel hopped off the bar stool. “I've heard all this, so I'm going to finish packing. Good morning, Sandra.” She pecked her mother on the cheek.
“Don't start that Sandra stuff again, young lady,” Sandra said. “The trial is over. You're going back to being a student and a half-day helper in the office. I'm Mom to you.”
“All right, Mom.” Mel giggled as she bounced away.
“So what did the sheriff allow?” Sandra gulped down a large mouthful of coffee. The warmth trickled down, helping her perk up. She only hoped it would be enough pick-me-up to make her a reliable driver.
Rufina set a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, two biscuits, and a dish of honey in front of her. “Mr. Burgess did it.” The circumference of her dark eyes, well, one of them, was about as big around as the biscuits. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned back to the stove. “Why did Rex hate me so much?”
BJ put an arm around Rufina's shoulders.
Sandra had guessed right. Rex had convinced Burgess to do the deed. “What else did the sheriff say? Wait a minute.” She pointed at Erma. “You said Ed, as in Sheriff Ed Krichman, I presume.”
Erma's chin jutted out. “So what if I did?”
“Ed? When did he become Ed?”
“When he called me this morning and asked me to go to breakfast.” Erma was primping like a robin in a birdbath.
Sandra shook her head. “Obviously, you didn't go.”
“No, told him we were in a hurry to get home this evening before too late but convinced him to clue me in over the phone.”
“Uh-huh.”
“He's going to come down to Galveston the next time he's got a day off.” She gave Sandra a meaningful look accompanied by a wry smile. “We'll have breakfast then. Ha!”
Sandra chuckled. “All right. You can tell me those details on the way home.”
BJ said, “Maybe Ed and Jared can ride together.”
“Maybe.” Sandra dug into her breakfast while Erma and BJ filled her in on what the sheriff had said. Turned out, her guess was right. Elgin was so drunk, he let Rex put the gun in his hand and walk him to the door of BJ's bedroom. Rex opened it, Elgin held the gun out, and fired. An unbelievable shot. Rex hurried him out the front door and shoved him in his truck and told him to take off. Rex must have thrown the gun on the path to Rufina's cottage.
Kathy Lynn added, “I'm pretty sure Rex thought I was in there telling Mama on him. Only he made Elgin think it was Rufina.”
Doug slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Who would ever think something like this would happen?”
BJ had come around the bar and stood close to Kathy Lynn, stroking her hair. “It's okay. How
could you have known?”
Sandra took small bites so she could swallow and talk. “Kathy Lynn, for the longest time I thought you were Katy Jo and you were pretending to be Kathy Lynn until this was all over.”
Kathy Lynn dabbed at her watery eyes. “I would give anything if that were true.”
Sandra still wasn't sure she'd gotten the whole story, but if something had been left out, she didn't need to know. She had more than done her job. She wanted to go back to Galveston where country folk—who, God love 'em, were all right—were few and far between.
Swallowing a last bite, she stepped off the stool. She shook Doug’s hand, stroked Kathy Lynn’s back, and kissed BJ and Rufina on the cheek. “Time to go. Y'all come see us sometime.”
Mel came from down the hall, dragging their roller bags. “I've got both of ours. I'll go put them in the car.”
Erma said, “Mine are already out there.” She turned to BJ. “Listen, darlin', if you ever need me again, you know where to find me.” They hugged, then Erma hugged Rufina. “Adios, amiga.” She turned to Doug and Kathy Lynn, “Best of luck to you kids. Come on, Sandra. Let's saddle up.”
They walked out of the house together. Sandra got behind the wheel. She'd drive until she was too tired, then switch with Erma. Mel climbed into the back seat. She hung out of the window and waved to everyone. Sandra raced the Volvo's engine. They needed to leave if they wanted to miss Houston rush hour traffic. Maybe while they were driving, she could make Erma understand why it was important to learn how to operate their computer, why she needed to enter the twenty-first century. Maybe she could entice Erma by telling her she'd be able to have private emails with Sheriff Ed...
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed reading Death of a Rancher’s Daughter, I would appreciate it if you would help others to enjoy this book, too.
Lend it. This e-book is lending enabled, so please, share it with a friend.
Recommend it. Please help others find this book by recommending it to friends, readers’ groups, and discussion boards.
Review it. Please tell other readers why you liked this book by reviewing it wherever you received your copy, on social media, and your website. If you do write a review, please send me an email at [email protected] so I can thank you with a personal email.
For a FREE copy of The Sweet Scent of Murder, A Mavis Davis Mystery, (Mavis searches for a missing teenager, but her search ends in murder in River Oaks, Houston) and to sign up for my mailing list, click on this link.
Copyright © 2020 Susan P. Baker
All rights reserved.
Created in digital format in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations in blog posts and articles and reviews.
This book is entirely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person whether alive or dead is purely coincidental and unintentional on the part of the author.
For more information about author Susan P. Baker please refer to the About the Author section at the end of this novel.
Interior formatting and design by Laurie Barboza
Cover design by Laurie Barboza ([email protected])
Produced in the United States of America.
For information and/or permission to use excerpts, contact: Refugio Press P.O. Box 3937 Galveston, TX 77552.
Acknowledgements
Without going into lengthy particulars about all the assistance I’ve received with this novel over the long years it’s been in the works, through fits and starts, before, during, and after other novels I’ve published, I would like to express my appreciation for/to the following people:
Irene Amiet, Laurie Barboza, Paul Heinrich, Mike Hennen, Gary Hoffman, Lou MacBeth, Dan McKeithan, Phyllis Moore, Richard Peake, Megan Reyna, Saralyn J. Richard, Kathy Sanford, Lynne Streeter, Lisa Windsor.
Additionally, there are folks, whose names I don’t even remember, who provided insight when I first began this novel years ago. If you ever read this and you remember it, thank you, too!
If I’ve left anyone off, I beg your forgiveness.
Books by Susan P. Baker
Novels:
Death of a Prince
No. 1 in the Lady Lawyer Series
Mother & daughter criminal defense lawyers defend the alleged murderer of a millionaire plaintiffs’ attorney in Galveston, Texas.
My First Murder
No. 1 in the Mavis Davis Murder Mystery Series
P.I. Mavis uncovers corruption deep in the heart of Texas while searching for the murderer of a mysterious woman.
The Sweet Scent of Murder
No. 2 in the Mavis Davis Mystery Series
When her search for a missing teenager turns to murder, Mavis discovers disgusting details about a Houston River Oaks’ family.
Murder and Madness
No. 3 in the Mavis Davis Mystery Series
To fulfill a dying woman’s wish, Mavis plunges headfirst into the Galveston island investigation of a grisly ax murder.
Ledbetter Street
A Novel of Second Chances
A mother fights the system for guardianship of her autistic son.
Suggestion of Death
A father who can’t pay his child support investigates the mysterious deaths of other deadbeat dads.
Texas Style Justice
Faced with life altering decisions, an ambitious Texas Hill Country judge must determine what price she is willing to pay to reach her ultimate goal of being appointed to the Supreme Court.
UNAWARE
Galveston, Texas Attorney Dena Armstrong is about to break out from under the two controlling men in her life, unaware that a stranger has other plans for her.
Nonfiction:
Heart of Divorce
Divorce advice especially for those who are considering representing themselves.
Murdered Judges of the 20th Century
True stories of judges killed in America.
www.susanpbaker.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan P. Baker, a retired Texas District Court Judge, is the award-winning author of nine novels, all with a legal bent. Three are the Mavis Davis Mystery series, featuring an uncensored Houston P.I. and her wacky staff. The other five novels were stand-alones, all but one with female protagonists—lawyers, judges, or litigants caught up in the justice system. The first book in what is now her Lady Lawyer Mystery Series, was Death of a Prince, first published in hardcover by Five Star Mysteries in 2005.
Susan has also published two nonfiction books: Murdered Judges of the 20th Century and Heart of Divorce, Advice from a Judge.
Susan is a member of Texas Authors, Authors Guild, Sisters in Crime, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Galveston Novel and Short Story Writers. She is delighted to be the proud mother of two daughters and grandmother of eight children, ages 10 to 28.
Read more about Susan and sign up for her mailing list at www.susanpbaker.com.
Like her at www.facebook.com/legalwriter
Follow her on Twitter: @Susanpbaker
Follow her on Instagram: @suewritesandreads
Death of a Rancher's Daughter Page 38